Screen Name

The email address/password you submitted is wrong or could not be found. Please try again. If you are not a member of the FIFA.com Club, please register first.

The email address/password you submitted is wrong or could not be found. Please try again. If you are not a member of the FIFA.com Club, please register first.

This Facebook account is already present

Your Club account has been locked due to a breach of our Terms of Service. Please set up a new account in line with the Club rules. Review the Club Rules. Alternatively, you can email us by completing our contact form.

Please enter a valid email address

The email address/password you submitted is wrong or could not be found. Please try again. If you are not a member of the FIFA.com Club, please register first.

Overview

Another Nigerian star is born?

After one day of matches, the most impressive player in Canada
2007's Group F thus far was Nigerian forward Brown Ideye, who
scored the winning goal in the 75th minute of a hard-fought 1-0
victory over Costa Rica and tormented the
Ticos mercilessly for the full 90 minutes on Sunday.

And if the domestic-based player is to be believed, there are
much bigger things on the horizon for him and his team.
"Before we left Nigeria I set myself the goal to be the
highest goal scorer in the tournament," he told
FIFA.com the day after the opening victory.
"I think I did an important thing by scoring the first goal
for my country here, but this is just the first one. I really want
to score more and more beautiful goals.

"It was good to get a victory since we have been looking
forward to the tournament and working hard for the match," he
said with a resolute look on his face. "Everyone wants to play
well against Nigeria and show their best against us, but at the end
of the day we overcame the challenge."

The sky's the limitAnd while it's a bit early to say that the Ocean Boys
player is set to follow in the illustrious Nigerian footsteps of
players like Kanu, Okocha, Mikel and Martins, the starlet impressed
from the get-go not only with his ball skills and shooting power
but also his slicing runs through the Costa Rican defence. In fact,
he found himself in so many good positions, one could say his only
failure was that he didn't score more than once.

But, the 19-year-old with U-23 experience is well aware of the
fact that he has to work his way into the elite of international
football: "This is my first time coming to a championship like
this, and this is a starting point for me. With more experience I
will only get better. Everybody has his own or her time to shine,
and I believe that the sky can be my limit."

It's a position that no-nonsense Nigerian boss Ladan Bosso
agrees with, saying after the match: "We know Brown is a very
powerful weapon, and I think he is important for us because he can
always score goals no matter what minute it is. He gave us his best
(against Costa Rica), and I appreciate him very much as a
player."

And though he is based in the Nigerian first division, both the
coach and the player feel like a more high-profile club future
awaits. "He's never gone out for a trial even, but I think
he has a big future in the game. The way he's playing now, any
agent or club that sees him should be impressed and jump on
him."

For his part, Ideye is dreaming big: "I would obviously
like to move to a club in Europe to further my footballing career.
My dream place is Chelsea, which is not really because (Jon Obi)
Mikel is there. Before he even went there, I was a big supporter of
them."

History in the making?But, the player has the U-20 task at hand firmly in his
sights, and him and his fellow Flying Eagles are anxious to finally
lead the footballing mad nation to ultimate success in a tournament
they have reached the final of twice.

"In 2005, in the final against Argentina, Nigeria had some
hard luck," he said. "And I believe that the boys here
are determined to reach the final and lift the trophy no matter
what. That's our aim in coming here. I would be thrilled to
bring the trophy home to my fellow Nigerians."

When asked if the side was still getting better, he laughed
before continuing: "This is just the first game. You will see
more and more surprises from us. I think with the right attitude
and focus we can make history. You could see in each of our faces
during the match yesterday, we want to make Nigeria proud. We were
going all out."